


Not every pie can turn out perfect

by Signe_chan



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 23:32:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9095521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Signe_chan/pseuds/Signe_chan
Summary: Bitty just wants to make a good impression on Jack's parents, that's all.





	

Bitty cursed for maybe the fifth time, pulling open the oven door. He was immediately met with a wall of smoke. He cursed again, grabbing the pie tin and pulling it out of the oven. The crust was burnt, again. Completely unsalvageable.

With a yell of frustration he dropped the pan on the floor and fell back to sit down. The pan clattered and it was probably too hot and it was going to burn the floor and he couldn’t even do one single thing right. He leant forward and jammed his head between his knees, grabbing handfuls of hair and biting his lips to keep from screaming. 

This wasn’t meant to be going like this. 

It was pie. He could do pie. Even when everything else was felling apart, he could make a pie. He’d never felt so betrayed in his life as he did looking at the mess of burnt crust before him. The complete mess he’d made of the kitchen. Bowls and saucepans and this was going to take forever to clean up and Jack was going to be home any minute. 

He couldn’t stop the sob tearing at him throat. He’d just wanted it to be nice. He’d just wanted things to go well. 

Of course, that was when Jack walked into the apartment. 

Bitty froze. He tried to focus on his breathing and calming down but his entire world narrowed down to Jack’s feet and it was too late and he’d messed everything up and...

“What...Bitty? What’s happened here?” 

Jack did not sound amused. Or patient. Or tolerant. 

“I’m sorry,” Bitty told the floor. Then repeated it again, a whisper. He was. He hadn’t meant for things to get this out of hand, he was just panicked and nervous and now he’d ruined it and Jack’s family were going to be here soon. 

He listened to Jack’s footsteps. A tour of the kitchen. Some soft French cursing. Then Jack was sitting down next to him. 

Then Jack was laughing. 

“What?” Bitty said, head snapping up. “Do you think this is funny?” 

“No,” Jack giggled, tears in his eyes. “I think this is a disaster. What’s even going on here?” 

“I...I wanted to make your mom a pie. But I couldn’t pick a flavour so I thought I should make more than one and maybe...” And shit, now he was crying. He buried his head again and at least Jack had stopped laughing. 

Jack’s Mum and Dad were going to hate him. They were going to hate him anyway because he knew that his existing was going to make everything for Jack that little bit harder but now they’d really hate him. 

“Bitts.” 

“I’m sorry. I’m just a disaster today. Don’t you worry, you phone your parents and go out for dinner. I’ll clean up this disaster and I’m so sorry, Jack. I didn’t...” 

Jack’s arms wrapped around him. Strong and familiar and he sobbed again but he couldn’t help clinging. Jack had to be so mad at him but he couldn’t help leaning in. Couldn’t help holding onto Jack like any second Jack was going to figure out what a mess Bitty was and run straight out the door. 

“Bitty,” he said, softly. “You do know you’ve already met them, right?” 

“But not as your boyfriend. This is different.” 

Jack nodded slowly, then let go of Bitty. Bitty dared to look up at him. HE looked tired. Of course he did, he’d been on a road and he’d come back to this. If only Bitty hadn’t been such a disaster. 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and Bitty waited. 

“Maman? Yes. I’m sorry, I’m really wiped out today, would it be okay if we do dinner tomorrow instead? You’re here until the weekend, right? Good. Thanks, Maman. Say hi to dad for me. Talk to you later.” 

Bitty stayed where he was, staring at the floor, until Jack knelt down in front of him again. He took both of Bitty’s hands and kissed the backs of them and Bitty couldn’t help crying a little again. 

“Bitts, let’s go to bed. We’ll sort this out tomorrow.” 

“But...” 

“Bitts,” Jack said, reaching up to gently stroke his face. “It’s going to be okay.” Apparently that was all it took to start the tears flooding but Bitty let himself be guided to his feet. Into Jack’s arms. He hid his face so he didn’t have to see the equipment he’d ruined. Let Jack guide him round the kitchen to turn everything off and then out to the bedroom. 

Jack left him then to brush his teeth. Bitty changed, body working on automatic. Turned down the bed. Brushed his own teeth. Crawled into bed next to Jack. 

Jack turned the light out then reached out for Bitty, pulling him into his arms just like every other night. 

“You should be angry,” he said to be the darkness. 

“Kind of am,” Jack admitted with a shrug. “I mean, I’m not looking forward to cleaning that mess up tomorrow but, Bitts, I love you. You’re upset and it’s really not that important. We’ll fix it and I love you, okay?” 

“Yeah,” Bitty said, hiding his face in his hands like he could hold the tears in. Jack huffed a little then rolled him over so Bitty could put his head on Jack’s shoulder and sob there and, well, it he was being invited to do so it wasn’t like Bitty could refuse. 

He didn’t know how long it took him it stop the tears but when he did he felt wrung out. Felt like someone had ripped bits of him out to display and he wanted to just curl into Jack’s warmth and be safe. 

It was still early, he was sure, though they were both tired so a nap wouldn’t hurt. And tomorrow they were going to have to have a conversation, probably. He’d gone too far and he knew it and maybe Jack did have a point about him having some things that a therapist might help with. 

Jack shifted under his shoulder. Ran a hand down his back. “Love you,” he whispered into Bitty’s hair. 

“Love you too,” Bitty whispered back. 

They were going to be alright.


End file.
